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Nico Rosberg of Williams was third fastest, ahead of Mark Webber for Red Bull.

Button, who won six races at the start of the season, has seen his lead whittled away in recent rounds and his nervy display under pressure will hardly inspire confidence as he looks to succeed fellow Briton Hamilton as world champion.

"12th place is disastrous really," he told BBC Sport. "But we will take it on the chin and make the best of it tomorrow," he added.

Fernando Alonso, who won in Singapore in highly-controversial circumstances for Renault last year, will start fifth on the grid after Barrichello's demotion with Timo Glock in sixth for Toyota.

The Sauber pair of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica will share the fourth row with Heikki Kovalainen of McLaren sharing the fifth row with Barrichello, who will look to make up further ground on Button on Sunday.